Quilting and other random thoughts

Tag Archives: Marie Dorian

I have to say, Idaho has some pretty fancy rest stops. This one is just east of the Snake River – also known as the Idaho/Oregon border (or the Oregon/Idaho border!).

Not only can you “rest”, you can soak up some local history as well. 🙂

After arriving in Boise for the night, I backtracked the next morning to Nyssa, Oregon, to go to the quilt store that I couldn’t get to before they closed. Normally, I wouldn’t do that, but I just had to have this fabric license plate and row. (Really, what Oregon quilter could pass up this one?! Lol)

This row is perfect for this area because Marilynn’s Pickets and Patches is practically on the Oregon Trail! While driving back to Boise, I decided to treat myself to some real Oregon Trail history.

In the town of Parma, Idaho, you can find the Fort Boise museum. It is a replica of the original fort.

Sadly, I was here on the wrong day to see the inside, but will definitely come back sometime.

Outside the fort, there is a statue of a Native American woman with a baby and small child.

The woman is Marie Dorion and her story is fascinating! She was the only female in the Astor Expedition party. I have read a book about her life and incredible struggle, so it was exciting to realize I was standing on ground she may have walked on so many years ago. 😉

In case you can’t read the sign, Marie and her two children were the only survivors of an Indian massacre in the middle of January in the early 1800’s. She took them on horseback and later by foot through the Blues Mountains of Oregon in the dead of winter until they were rescued in April by a Columbia River tribe.

I also discovered a surprising trail down memory lane, but will save it for my next post! 😉